British Embassy in Bangkok

The original British Legation in Bangkok was alongside the river on Charoen Krung Road. A new 12 acre plot of land was bought on Ploenchit road in March 1922. As it was on the outskirts of Bangkok, many British subjects complained that it wouldn’t be convenient to go there. The first structure to be built was the War Memorial in 1923. The Queen Victoria statue and flagstaff were also moved here. The buildings in the compound, including The Residence, pictured on this page, were completed four years after the purchase of the land. Sir Robert Greg, the Head of Mission at that time, entered into residence on 22nd September 1926, a little later than planned due to some delays. He wrote at the time, “What is a few weeks’ delay when you have built almost for eternity?” Little did he know that the Ambassador’s Residence is unlikely to reach its 100th anniversary. Four acres of the property was sold in 2006 to make way for Central Embassy. The War Memorial was moved to the front of the Residence and Queen Victoria’s statue was moved around the back. Now it looks like the rest of the embassy ground will be sold off. What will happen to the statue and war memorial? The embassy will most likely move to an office block.